Toilet accessory



. 10, 1940. R. s. CARTER TOILET ACCESSORY Filed Aug. 5, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- Pan MM? 51 6142752 INVENTOR. 1 BY W ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT {OFFICE V 2,214,323 TOILET ACCESSORY Rowland S. Carter, Los Angeles, Califl, assignor of one-fifth to O. A. Miketta, Beverly Hills, Calif.

. Application August 5, 1939, Serial No. 288,599

'11 Claims.

Y water closet has been flushed. In one embodiment of the present invention the device also per.-.

mits the raising of. either the seat or the cover, or both, without contacting the seat or cover, the raising of these elements being accomplished by the use of thepressure ordinarily available in water supply lines.

The ordinary toilet or water closet is usually provided with a hingedseat and a.hinged seat cover. Many people are meticulous in leaving the seat and cover in-a lowered or closed position whennot in use whereas; many others are accustomed to'leaving the seat and'cover in a raised or elevated position, the latter class causing much mentalv anguish to the members-oi the first class; Moreover, many persons are adverse to manually handling either the toilet. set or toilet coverand resort to kicking tacticsp.

The present invention: is directed toward an accessory. or device which is readily attached to a water closet and positively insures the closure of either the seat or the cover, or both, whenever the flushing valveof such water closet is actuated. In a more advanced form of the invention a small lever or handleis provided whereby the raising of either the seat or the cover is initiated without touching the latter elements.

Generally. stated, the invention comprises a housing including a pair of cylinders having pistons or -plungers therein, such pistons or plungers cooperating with cams mounted upon stud shafts to which the seat. and the cover are connected. The lower part of the cylinders is connected by means of a conduit with the Water supply line leading to the customary flushing valve associated with such water closet. Pressure existing in the water supply linev is used for the purpose of raising the seat or cover; when the flushing valve is actuated, the water pressure sufiiciently drops, causing the seat and cover to slowly close. The rate of closure orloweringis regulated by suitable orifice means.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is .to provide means forautomatically lowering either the seat or the cover of awater closet whenever the flushing valve is actuated.

. Another object is to provide means whereby the seat or cover may be raised by the aid of normally existing water pressure and without manual contact with the seat or cover.

-A further object is to provide means which automatically loweror close the seat or cover of a Water closet without interfering with the normal manipulation. of the same. These and other objects, uses, advantages and adaptations, of the invention will become apparent 5 to those skilledin the art from the following description of certain illustrative forms of the invention, reference being had to the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a customary 10 water closet.

.Fig. 2 is a front'elevation, partly insection, of the accessory.

.Fig. 3 is a horizontalsection taken along the plane 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig 4 is a vertical section taken along the plane 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is. a. similar vertical section with the device ina difierent position.

. Fig. 6 is a modified form of device in vertical 30 section,

Fig; 7 is a vertical. transverse section taken along the plane 'I'Iof Fig. 6.

As shown. in Fig. 1, an ordinary water closet comprises-the bowl I provided. with a seat land 25 a cover 3, the seat and cover being hinged at the back for independent movement. A water supply line, generally. indicated at 4, leads to a water reservoir 5 in which there is contained a flushing' valve operatedby the lever 6. In some in-- 3o stances the water reservoir 5 is eliminated, the end of line 4 leading to a flushing valve which is in turn directly connected with the bowl I of the water closet. The elements just recited are old andwell known in the art and need not be de- 35 scribed in detail.

In accordance with the present invention,'a device IB is mounted to one side of the bowl I adjacent one end ofthehinge to which the seat and cover are connected. The lower portion of the 40 device. Illcis .also'tconnected as by means of the conduit II- with the water line 4 at a point adjacent the. flushing valve '6 and on the supply side of such valve 6. In other words, the conduit II should not be attached to the pipe between the flushing'valve and the .bowl I but instead should be on the far side (from the bowl).

As shown in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive, the device I0 comprises 'a housing containing two bores or cylinders separated as by the partition II, each 59 of the cylinders containing a plunger such as the plungers -I2 .and I3. The lower ends of the plungers may beyprovided with cup leathers I4 suitably heldv in place by means of the machine screw I5. Such machine screw or fastening 5 5 A means may also suitably space the bottom of the cup leather from the bottom of the cylinders when the plungers I2 and I3 are in their lowered positions, indicated in Figs. 2 and 4'.

The device I0 may also be provided with a capping member IG suitably removably attached to the bottom portion of the housing. Stud shafts I1 and I8 may extend into the upper portion of the device and be suitably, journaled therein. These studshafts I1 and I8 may besupported by bearings I9 and 20 formed in the upper ends of bolts 2| and 22 extending through a portion of the bowl and in the rear thereof. The two bolts 2I and 22 may be either connected or made integral with a horizontal member. 23 having an extension 24 adapted to support the housing ofI the device I0.

As shown in Fig. 2, the stud shafts I1 and I8 are hollow tubes, the stud shaft I'I extending through both of the bearings I9 and 20 and having a filler 26 positioned therein; The stud shaft I8 is a tube rotatably mounted on the tube I1 and terminating as at I8. The cover 3 of the water closet is connected to the shaft I! by bracket member 21, the other bracket member of such cover 3 being indicated at 21- and being journaled upon the outer-stud shaft I8. The seat 2 is provided with a pair of brackets, namely, 28 and 28, the bracket 28 being firmly-attached to the stud shaft I8 whereas the bracket 28' is journaled upon the stud shaft I'I. V V

The outer hollow stud shaft I8 terminates within the device II] at about its mid point. Cams 30 and 3I are firmly attached to the inner stud shaft I1 and the outer stud shaft I8 respectively. It will be notedthat these cams30 and 3I are provided with a curved face 32 (Figs.

4 and'5) and a relatively fiatface 33, the end of the cam being also provided with a small flat face indicated at 34. These cam means are capable of translating reciprocating movement of the plungers I2 and I3 intopartial rotation of the corresponding stud shaft and hinged movement of the seat or cover or both. The flat face 34 is adapted to lock the seat or cover in closed position. 2 z

Manual means are provided for placing the plungers in operative position selectively. Such manual means may compriseahandle 36 extending through the hollowstud shaft I1 and capable of rotation therein. The handle 36 may be provided with a pin 37 extending through a slot 38 in the inner stud shaft I I. The end'of the hollow stud shaft I8 may be notched as indicated at 39. The pin 31 is sufiiciently long to contact with the edges of the notch 39 in the member I8.

The conduit II connects the supply side of the flushing valve 6 (and thereforethe water supply line 4) with the bottom of the bores in which the plungers I2 and 13 are mounted and as shown in Fig. 3 relativelysmall channels 40 and 4| connect the conduit. II with the bottom of these bores.

In the position illustrated in Figs. 2- and 4, both of the plungers I2 and I3 are at the bottom of their stroke and therefore the seat and cover are in the lowered position. By partially rotating the handle 36, the pin 31 is caused to engage the edge of the slot 38 formed in the hollow stud shaft l1 and partially rotate the same, such partial rotation moving the cam 3|] into a position corresponding to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4. As soon as the-"cam is in the slightly angled position indicated by dotted lines, the pressure of the water from the supply line 4 and conduit I I causes the plunger to move upwardly, such upward movement continuing until the position indicated in Fig. 5 is reached, at which time a quarter turn would have been imparted to the stud shaft I1 and the cover would now be in fully raised position. If the operator desires to also raise the seat, a slightly greater pivotal movement is imparted to the handle36, this causing the .pin 31 to contact with the edge of the notch 39 formed. in the stud shaft I1 and partly rotate this stud shaft so that a similar series of movements, to those just described, is imparted to the cam 3 I, the seat being slowly lifted to upright position by reason of water pressure supplied by conduit II and port 7 M to beneath the plunger I3.

As soon' as the flushing valve 6 is actuated, however, rapid flow of water takes place in the line 4 through the flushing valve and into the toilet bowl I, this causinga reduction of pressure in the conduit II. This reduction of pressure also occurs in the space beneath the plungers I2 and I3. Spring means are1pr0vided for initiating the closure of the seat and cover, said spring means in the examples given comprising the springs 43 and 44 tending to return the cams 30 and 3| to the position indicated in Fig. 2. Such springs are only sufficiently strong to overcome the rearward tilt of the seat and cover respectively, the weight of the seat and cover being then used in rotating the stud shafts I1 and I8, in rotating the cams 30 and 3|, and in depressing the plungers I2 and I3. The rapidity with which the seat and cover are lowered is controlled somewhat by the diameter of the channels 40 and M leading to the conduit II. When the cams 30 and 3I return tothe position indicated in full lines, Fig. 4, an increase in pressure of the fluid in conduit II will not. raise the plungers since the flats 34 now lock the seat and cover in closed position.

In the device just described, means have been provided for selectively raising either the cover or the cover and seat by the handle means 36. In the modification illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, no such means for manually initiating the raising of the seat or cover is provided. The device illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7 is somewhat similar in that it comprises a housing, containing bores having the plungers 5| and 52 therein, the lower portion of such bores'being connected to theconduit II in the same manner. Cams 53 and 54cooperate with the tops of the plungers 5I and 52 respectively, the cams 53 and 54 being firmly attached to stud shafts 55 and 56, the stud shaft 56 being hollow. The cover may be hingedly connected to the stud shaft 55 whereas the seat may be connected to the stud shaft 56. Each of the cams 53 and 54 is provided with a fiat face and a curved face but no locking faces or flats are necessary. Spring means, indicated at 51 and 58, are provided for the purpose of initiating the downward movement or closure of the seat and cover. The device shown in Figs. 6 and '7 will automatically lower either the seat or the cover, or both, as soon as a flushing valve is actuated, but theraising of the cover or seat needs be performed by hand.

I claim:

1'. In a toilet accessory for use with water closets and the like including a hinged cover, a water supply line and a flushing valve, the combination of a cylinder containing a plunger, a conduit connecting one end of saidcylinder with the water supply line on the supply side of the flushing valve, and a cam operably connected to the cover for movement therewith, said cam being in operable relation to the plunger in said cylinder, the cover, cam and plunger being adapted to move to close the cover when the pressure in the water supply line drops upon actuation of the flushing valve.

2. In a toilet accessory for use with water closets and the like including a hinged cover, a water supply line and a flushing valve, the combination of: a cylinder containing a plunger, a conduit connecting one end of said cylinder with the water supply line on the supply side of the flushing valve, a cam operably connected to the cover for movement therewith, said cam being in operable relation to the plunger in said cylinder, the cover, cam and plunger being adapted to move to close the cover when the pressure in the water supply line drops upon actuation of the flushing valve, and spring means operably associated with the cam for initiating closure movement of the cam and cover.

3. In a toilet accessory for use with water closets and the like including a hinged cover, a water supply line and a flushing valve, the combination of: a cylinder containing a plunger, a conduit connecting one end of said cylinder with the water supply line on the supply side of the flushing valve, and a cam operably connected to the cover for movement therewith, said cam being in operable relation tothe plunger in said cylinder, said cam including a face adapted to cooperate with the plunger, when the cover is closed, to maintain the cover in closed position, the cover, cam and plunger being adapted to move to close the cover when the pressure in the water supply line drops upon actuation of the flushing valve.

4. In a toilet accessory for use with water closets and the like including a stud shaft, a cover attached thereto, a water supply line and a flushing valve, the combination of: a cylinder containing a plunger, a conduit connecting one end of said cylinder with the water supply line on the supply side of the flushing valve, a camcarried by the stud shaft for movement therewith, said cam being in operable relation to the plunger in said cylinder, said cam including a face adapted to cooperate with the plunger, when the cover is closed, to maintain the cover in closed position, the cover, cam and plunger being adapted to move simultaneously to close the cover when the pressure in the water supply line drops upon actuation of the flushing valve, and spring means cooperatively associated with the cam for initiating closure movement of the cam and cover.

5. In an accessory for use with water closets and the like having a hinged seat and cover, a water supply line and a flushing valve, the combination of: a housing provided with two cylinders, a plunger in each of said cylinders, a shaft extending into said housing above said cylinders, a cam carried by said shaft above one of said plungers, said shaft being attached to the water closet cover; a sleeve rotatably journaled on said shaft, a cam attached to said sleeve above the other of said plungers, said sleeve being attached to the water closet seat; and a conduit connecting the bottom of each cylinder with the water supply line on the supply side of said flushing valve, the cover, seat, cams and plungers being adapted to move to close the seat and cover when the pressure in the water supply line drops upon actuation of the flushing valve.

6. In an accessory for use with water closets and the like having a, hinged seat and cover, a water supply line and a flushing valve, the combination of: a housing provided with two cylinders, a plunger in each of said cylinders, a shaft extending'into said housing above said cylinders, a cam carried by said shaft above one of said plungers, said shaft being attached to the water closet cover; a sleeve rotatably journalecl on said shaft, a cam attached to said sleeve above the other of said plungers, said sleeve being attached to the water closet seat; a conduit connecting the bottom of each cylinder with the water supply line on the supply side of said flushing valve, the cover, seat, cams and plungers being adapted to move to close the seat and cover when the pressure in the water supply line drops upon actuation of the flushing valve; and spring means operatively associated with said cams for initiating closure movement of the seat and cover.

7. In an accessory for use with water closets and the like including a hinged seat and cover, a water supply line and a flushing valve, the combination of: plunger means actuated by water pressure for raising said seat and cover, cam means adapted to lock said plunger means in inoperative position, manual means for moving said cam means to release said plunger means into operative position, spring means for initiating closure of the seat and cover, and orifice means for regulating the speed of closure of the seat and cover.

8. In an accessory for use with water closets and the like including a hinged seat and cover, a water supply line and a flushing valve, the combination of: plunger means actuated by Water pressure for raising said seat and cover, cam means for translating movement of plunger means into hinged movement of seat and cover, said cam means being adapted to lock the plunger in inoperative position when said seat and cover are closed, manual means for moving said cam means to release said plunger means into operative position, spring means for initiating closure of the seat and cover, and orifice means for regulating the speed of closure of the seat and cover.

9. In an accessory for use with water closets and the like including a hinged seat and cover, a Water supply line and a flushing valve, the combination of: plunger means actuated by water pressure for raising said seat and cover, conduit means connecting said plunger means with the water supply line on the supply side of said flushing valve, cam means associated with said plunger means and adapted to lock the latter in inoperative position, manual means for moving said cam means to release said plunger means into operative position, spring means for initiating closure of the seat and cover, and orifice means in said conduit means for regulating the speed of closure of the seat and cover.

10. In an accessory for use with water closets and the like including a hinged seat and cover, a water supply line and a flushing valve, the combination of: plunger means actuated by water pressure for raising said seat and cover, conduit means connecting said plunger means with the water supply line on the supply side of said flushing valve, a cam associated with said plunger and adapted to hold the latter in locked position, manual means for moving said cam to unlock said plunger means, and spring means adapted to initiate closure of the seat and cover when the flushing valve is actuated.

11. In an accessory for use with water closets and the like including a hinged cover, a water supply line and a flushing valve, the combination of plunger means in communication with the water supply line on the supply side of the flushing valve, a cam operably connected to said cover and in contact with said plunger means, said cam being adapted to lock said plunger cam for initiating closure of the cover when the 5 flushing valve is actuated.

ROWLAND S. CARTER. 

